Rail-joint.



1101011. RAIL JOINT. APPLIOATION FILED MAY 5', 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Patented Jana/1912.

HARRY F. ROACH, OLE ST. LOUIS, MIS$OURL RAIL-JOINT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 5, 1911.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it knownthat I, HARRY .F. ROACH, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Louis, Missouri, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Rail-Joints, of

which the following is a full, clear, and

' exact description, such as will enable others skilled'in theart to which it appe rtains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to rail joints. One object of the invention is to provide a rolled and forged railjoint consisting of a girder that comprises a horizontally dis posed rail-supporting portion which is so designed that reverse strains are practically eliminated and the load is transmitted through the center of the joint to the ties without making a fulcrum of the ties and without causing an excessive pumping up and down of the ties due to the fulcruming,

thereby distributing the load to the ties which support the joint Without liability of displacing the ties or loosening the bed of l the track.

Another object is to provide a rolled and forged rail-joint of girder construction in which a portion of the compression member extends alongside of the heads of the rails and serves an additional wheel-sup porting member after the running portion of t-hehead of the rails has worn down to such an extent that it is desirable to have an additional wheel-supporting surface at the ends or" the rails. And still another object 18 to provide a railoint which is so designed that it requires fitting oi the base flanges of the rails at only one point, namely, at the ends of the rails, the joint being so constructed that the end bolts can be tightened without liabilityfof kinking the rails. I

Figure l' of the drawings is a side eleva tional view of a railoint constructed in accordance with my invention, the girder being broken. away so as to more clearly illustrate the portion of the joint on which the rails rest; Fig.2 is a top plan view partiy'in horizontal section; Fig. 3 is an end elevational view of the joint'showing 'one or the rails in cross sect on; Fig. 4 is a vertical cross secuonal view taken at the center of the jointrFi'g. 5 is a diagranr;

matic view illustrating one way of forming q 9 o l. the j nt; ig. 6 is a vert el cr e i nal support for the rails.

view of an insulated joint constructed in accordance with my invention Figs. 7 to 11, inclusive, are perspective. views of the various insulating members which are interposed betwcen the rails and the metallic parts of the joint; and Fig. 12 is a vertical sectional view illustrating a slight modification of my invention, said View being taken adjacent one end of the joint.

As previously stated, the joint is preferably rolled and forged from a piece of metal and consists of a girder A arranged at one side of the rails and provided with an integral horizontally disposed rail-supporting portion 1 that forms part of the tension member of the girder, said rail-supporting portion being formed integral with 'a portion 2 that bears upon the top faces of the base flanges of the rails and projects downwardly alongside'oit the edges of the base flanges of the rails, as shown in Figs. 3 and l. j c

The metal from which the joint is formed is the same as is generally used in" the manufacture of rails and other railway track structures and while I have used the expression rigid rail-supporting portion in some of the claims, I do not wish to imply that the rail-supporting portion of the joint is absolutely inflexible as l, of course, realize that the metal from which rails and similar devices are formed has a certain degree of resiliency. l have used the term rigid in some of the claims merely for the purpose of emphasizing the 'difierencehetween my j oint-and joints having rail-supporting portions formed from spring metal or metal which is so resilient that it will deflect easily and thus act as av yielding cushion or The compression elementof the girder consists of a member 3 that extends longitudinally of the web of the girder undern'eathgthe heads of the rails and a member 4 that extends alongside of the rails and bears againstone of the side faces of the heads of the rails. I prefer to provide the member 4 with a top face 5 which is inclined downwardly from the'top face ofthe'heads ot' the rails, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4c. and whose end portions incline downwardly at agreater angle than the intermediate portion thereof so to form a substantially twisted surface of similar design to the tread surface of the wheel-supporting member of the rail-joint shown in my prlor United states Patent No. 954,649, dated April 12, 1910. G

When the joint is used with new ralls the top face or surface 5 of the member 4 will not act as a wheel-supporting surface because said top face 5 lies in a lower hOIlzontal plane than the wheel-supporting surface of the rails, but after the heads of the rails wear down the top face 5 of theinemher 4 comes into service and acts as a wheelsupporting surface. The object in providing the compression member 4 of the girder with a twisted top face or wheel-supporting surface is to accommodate a double-flanged or guttered wheel and permit such a wheel to pass over the joint without receiving an excessive vertical shock or jar.

The horizontally disposed rail-su porting portion 1 of the joint is provide at approximately its center with a flat surface 6 of relatively great area on which the end' portions of the base flanges of the rails rest, and the endsof this rail=supporting portion 1 incline downwardly from the central flat face 6, as shown in Fig. 1, so that the rails will not normally rest on the end portions of the rail-supporting member 1. By forming the joint in this manner, namely, providing the rail-supporting member 1 with a flat surface of relatively great area on which only the ends of the abutting, rails rest, and having the remaining portions of said rail-supporting member 1 spaced away slightly from the base flanges of the rails,

-0f the ties to work loose is I practically eliminate reverse strains and distribute the load to the ties on which the joint rests without making a fulcrum of the ties and without causing a pumping up and down of the ties due to fulcruming. This is a very desirable feature in a railjoint for it prevents the terminals .or end portions of the rails from being tilted upwardly by a wheel approaching the joint and it also reduces the cost of maintenance of the track for the load is transmitted to the ties in such a manner that the tendency reduced to a minimum.

The area of the flat surface 6 at the center of the joint is determined by. the load which the rail is intended to carry. Consequently, this surface 6 can be so proportionedthat it does not extend any farther in either direction from the center of the joint than is absolutely necessary, thereby making it possible to design the joint in such a mannor that only the required supporting surface is rovided for the base flanges of the rails. nd still another desirable feature of such a structure is that the rails cannot fulcrum on the joint when a load is passing over the same for there are no surfaces between the flat ,centralportion 6 and the ends of the joint upon which the base flanges of the rails can turn or fulcrum. I also prefer to provide the under side of therail-suportlng member 1 with flat surfaces 6 which bear upon the ties, so as to I prevent said member-from cutting intothe ties, the surfaces 6 being parallel to the rail-supporting surface 6 of said member and also parallel to the base flanges of the rails when no load ison'the rails.

The flange 2 or portion of the girder which bears upon the top faces of the base flanges of the rails holds the end portions of the railsfirmly down upon the flat supporting surface 6 of the member 1 and thus securely clamps the end portions of the rails in position and prevents them from rising upwardly off the flat supporting surface 6. While I prefer to have the flange 2 bear upon the rails throughout the length of the joint, it is not absolutelyinecessary to design the joint in this manner for the essential thing is to have the flange 2 bear on the end portions of the rails so as to prevent upward movement ofthe ends of the rails.

I also prefer to form the depending portion 2 of said member 2 in such a manner that there is no tendencyfor the rails to kink when the bolts at the ends of the joint are tightened, the girder being so designed that the portion 2 bears snugly against the edges of the base flanges of the rails at the ends being drawn inwardly towards the vertical web of the girder the rails would kink when the end bolts were tightened. This same 'result can be accomplished in other ways as, for example, in the manner shown in Fig. 12 wherein the portion 20 is parallel to the edges of the base flanges of the rails and-- spaced away slightly from saidedges, and

fillers 20 are arranged between therails and the Web of the girder at the ends of the joint so as to prevent the rails froth-being drawn inwardly toward the girder when the end bolts are tightened, the ends of the rails, of course, being clamped securely in positionfby the part 2 and the flat surface 6 which fit the base flanges of the rails snuglv. The fillers 2O are retained in position liy means of bolts, as shown in Fig. 12, and the openings in the fillers and in the vertical webs of the rails through which said bolts pass are made large enough to permit sufficient play of the bolts to prevent the bolts from interfering with the slight vertical dcflection of. the rails at the ends of the joint. A oint of the form shown in Fig. lor in without kinkingthe rails, but still it is only necessary to have the joint fit the base so designed that it does not bearagainst the t flanges of the rails at one the ends of the rails. i

It is preferable to arrange a bar 7 alongside of the webs of the rails and connect said bar to the girder A'by means of bolts 8 which pass through said parts and through the webs of the rails. The member 3 which lies under the heads of the rails is preferably point, namely, at

under side of the heads of the rails at the center of the joint or at the ends of the joint,- as shown in Figs. 3 and at, so as to permit the rails to deflect downwardly .tslightly when a load is imposed upon them 'hndfir'fius bring the base flanges of the rails gradually into engagement with the inclined surfaces on the top face of the rail supporting memher 1 of thejoint. j j a e A rail-oint of the construction above-described holds the ends of the rails in position both vertically and horizontally without performing the function of a splice.

Consequently the strength and resiliencyof the joint may be made the saine as the strength and resiliency of the rails Without tending to break the rails. Furthermore, such a rail-joint eliminates battering of the receiving rail where traffic is in one direction because the center bearing of the joint on which the ends of the rails rest is higher than the rail-flange-engaging surfaces at the ends of thejoint, it is of suflicient area to provide a firm-supporting surface for the rails, and the rails are held firmly down upon the same. Said center-supporting surface is not of great enough area, however, to cause the rails to fulcrum thereon when a wheel reaches the end of the joint as would occur if the base flange supporting surface of the joint were cambered or curved.

By designing the joint in the manner abovedescribed' I am able-to roll and forge it from a single piece of metal or form it entirely by a forging processi Consequently, lcan produce at a lowcost a railjoint which has all of the desirable features of the castmetal rail-joint shown 'in my prior patent above-referred to and also a few additional desirable features, such, for example, as the flatsupporting surface of relatively great area on which the end portions of the base flanges of the rails rest, and also the means for preventing the rails from kinking when the end bolts are'tightened,

In Fig. 5 I have illustrated one way of forming the joint, the reference characters B designating roller dies which are so arrangedthat they will produce a member A of the cross sectional shape shown in said figure.

After said member" has been removed from' the roller dies the,portion 1 which constitutes the-rail-supporting member of the joint is bent into a horizontal position by suitable dies, not shown. Theend portions of this member 1 are then bent dmvnwardly or away from the intermediate portion of said member 1, and the end portions of the parts 3 and a of the compression member of the girder are displaced or 'bent downwardly, as indicated by dotted lines in F 1g. 4:, so as to unpart the proper drop to the end portions of the part 3, the part 2* of the flange-engaging portion 2 being shaped properly by means of dies so that its intermediate portion will be spaced away from the side edges of the base flanges of the rails at the center of the joint.

A rail-joint of the construction above-described is admirably adapted for use as an insulated rail-joint, and in Figs. 6 to 11 I have shown, the joint used in this manner. Instead of using a sole plate between the base flanges of the rails and the rail-supporting member 1 of the joint and a separate end post'betwcen the ends of the rails, I prefer to use a pa.ir of sole plates 9 formed of insulating material and each provided at its inner end with an integral end post 10, both of which lie between the ends of the abutting rails, each sole plate being provided at one edge with an upwardly projecting flange 11 which extends alongside of the edge of the base flange of the rail that rests upon the sole plate. The member C which is interposed between the girder A and the rails,

'is formed of insulating material and conforms to the shape of one side of a rail, said member being provided at its upper edge with a flange 12 which projects upwardly a slight distance above the top face 5 of the member 4 of the girder. The portion of the member C which bears upon the top faces of the base flanges of the rails laps over the upturned flanges 11 on=the sole plates and is provided with a depending flange 13 that lies between the upturned llangesll on the sole plates and the part 2? of the rail-joint. The insulating member I) which is arranged between the bar 7 and the rails, conforms to the shape of the rails, and suitable washers l t and sleeves 15 of insulating material are provided for insulating the bolts 8 and the nuts thereon from the metallic parts of the joint. I valso prefer to arrange bushings 16 of insulating material in openings in the rail-supportingmember 1 of the joint for receiving the; spikes or fastening devices that secure the joint to the ties, said bushings .16 also operating toprevent the sole plates from moving laterallyl,

is applied. gradually to the rail-supporting I I.

memberl; the sole plates will not receive suddenishocks or be hammered when the wheels ass over the joint. Anot er desirable feature of such a construction is that rust and findings, namely, 5 small metal grindings from the brake-shoes, wheels and rails can not collect and form a bridge across the ends of the rails and thus produce {1ashort circuit owingto the fact that theiend posts are formed integral wlth 16 the sole plates. Furthermore, there is sufii- .cient space between the girder and the insulating member 0 to insure proper ventilation and drainage, and as the member 0 laps over ,the sole plates and terminates at the rail-supporting member 1 whose top face inclines downwardly from the intermediate portion thereof, ample provision 1s made for drainage. Consequently, a railjoint of the character above-described' m- 20 creases the life of the insulating material I and thus reduces the cost ofmaintenance of thejoint. x I v Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent-is: 1. A rail-'oint provided with a rigid railsupporting member having a flat' ra1l-bear-' ing surface, at approximately the center thereof, and two angularly-disposed 'flat rail-bearing surfaces which'incline downwardly in opposite directions from said central fiat surface. I 1

2. A rail-joint consisting of a member of girder construction having a horizontally disposed rigid rail-supporting portion whose top face is fiat at approximately the center and inclined downwardly toward the ends of said ortion;

3. A railoint com rising a rigid hori- 40 zontally disposed rai -supporting member whose top face is flat at the center and indined-downwardly toward the ends of said member, and means which bears upon the base flanges of the rails and holds them down upon the flat surface at the center of said member.

' 4. A rail-joint consisting of a girder having an upper member which extends alongside of the heads of the rails,,and a rigid horizontally disposed rail-supporting portion whose top face is flat at approximately the center and inclined downwardly slightly toward the ends.

5. 'A rail-'oint consistin of a girder havi Jan upper member 'which extends along si 9f the heads of the rails, and a-horizontal disposed rail-supporting portion whose to face is fiat at approximately the center an inclined downwardly slightly toward the ends of said portion, said upper member being ,provided with a wheel-tread surface which comes into service after the hands of the rails have worn down.

6. A rail-joint comprisinga member'hav ing a bearing on which only the end portions of the rails normally rest, thereby fproviding for a slight vertical deflectionp the rails at the ends of the joint, said bearing extending the entire width of the base flanges of the rails, and means at the ends of the joint for preventing the rails from moving laterally'at these points when the end bolts are tightened. 7. A rail-joint consisting of a horizontally disposed rail-supporting member provided adjacent one edge with an over-lapping partthafiextends over the base flanges of the rails, said part bearing on the top faces of said base flanges at the center of the joint and'bearing against the side edges of said base flanges only at the ends of the joint.

8. A rail-joint consisting of a girder provided with an upper member that extends alongside of the heads of the rails, said member having a twisted wheel-tread surface which comes into service after the treads ofthe rails have worn down so as to carry 'a double-flanged orv guttered wheel' acrossthe joint-without an excessive vertical shock or jar, and agf' -horfi'zontally disposed rigid rail-supporting member at the lower edge of said girder whose to face is flat at approximately the i center 0 said member and inclined downwardl toward the ends.

9. A rail-joint consistmg of a forged or rolled girder provided'jat its upper edge with a member which extends alongside of the heads of the rails and at its lower edge with a horizontally' disposed rigid rail-supporting portion having an 'area on which only the end portions of the base flanges of the rails normally rest. 1

10. A rigid rail-joint consisting of a forged or, rolled girder having a portion which laps over the baseflanges of the rails, and a horizontally disposed rail-supporting portion having an area on which only the end portions of the base flanges of the rails normally rest. v 1

11. A rail-joint consisting of a forged or 110' rolled girder having a compression member" which acts as a wheel-supporting memberbase flan es ofthe rails, the intermediate after the treads of therails have worn down, and a tension member which supports the portion 0 the top face of said tension memher being higher than the end portionsvof sa d top face so as to provide for a slight deflection of the rails when a vertical load is imposed on thesame. a.

12. A rail-joint consisting of a forgedoa rolled girder having an upper member ex- I tending alongside of the heads of the rails which is provided with a twisted top surface that acts as a wheel-tread after the treads of the rails have worndown, a horizontally disposed rigid rail-supporting por-V tion'at-the lower edge of thegirder whose top face substantially-flat at approximately the center jand inclined downwardly 130-.

yber comprising means toward its ends,

which bears upon the top faces of the'baseand means on said girder flanges of the rails.

13. A rail-joint provided with means for preventing vertical movement of the railsa t the center of the joint, and means which prevents lateral movement of therails at the ends of the joint but does not interfere with a slight vertical deflection of the rails at these points. 7

14. A rail-joint comprising means which firmly clamps the base flanges of the end portions of the rails and permits 'a slight vertical deflection of the rails at the ends of the joint and means for preventing lateral movement of the rails at the ends of the joint when the end bolts are tightened.

" 15. A rail-joint comprising a rigid railsupporting member on which only the end portions of the rails normally rest, said memslight vertical deflection oflthe rails at the ends of' the joint, a member which bears flanges ofthe upon the top face of the base I rails, and means at the ends pf the joint for preventing lateral movement of the/rails at these points when theend bolts ofithejoint are tightened. V

16. A'rail joint comprising a girder having a. rail-supporting portion whose top face is provided with a surfaceon which only the end portions of the rails normally rest,

means cotiperating with the base flanges of the rails for preventing vertical movement of the end. portions of the rails, and means which prevents lateral movement of the rails at the ends of the joint when the end bolts of the joint are tightenedbut does not interfere with ;a slight vertical deflection of the rails at these points. l

17. A rail-joint comprising means for preventing both lateral and'vertical movement of the end portions of the rails and means 'at the ends of the joint which prevents lateral movement of the rails but does not interfere with a slight vertical deflection of the rails at the ends of the joint. 18. A r'aiLjoint having a rigid-rail-supporting member which is provided with a bearing surface on which only the end portions of the rails normally rest, thereby providing for a slight vertical deflection of the rails intermediate their ends under load, and means which maintains the rails in alinement and; prevents lateral movement (topics of this patient may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Washington, D. C.

for permitting a one of said bearing planes.

.- gaging surfaces on the bottom joint when the,

resisting lateral movement of the rails so as to prevent the rails from kinking when the end bolts of the joint are tightened.

20. A rail-joint comprising a girder having a rail-supporting member which permits the rails to deflect vertically slightly intermediate their ends under load, and a longitudin ally extending member under the heads of the rails which does not interfere with of .the rails.

the vertical deflection 21. A rail-joint having a horizontally dis- I posed rigid rail-supporting member whose top face is, composed of a flat surface on which the rails normally rest, and inclined flat surfaces which are normally spaced away from the rails but which support the rails when a load is imposed upon the rails.

22. A rail-joint having a rigid rail-supporting member provided on its top face with three fiat bearing planes two of which a are angularly disposed with relation to the other, and on its bottom face'with flat tie-engaging surfaces that are parallel to A rail-joint having a rail-supporting member Whose topface has a flat rail-bearing surface and rail-bearing surfaces which inclineldownwardly therefrom, and tie-enof said member that are the top face of said member.

24. A rail-joint consisting of a girder provided with a rail-supportingmember whose top face is composed of a flat central plane and two inclined planes which form bearin surfaces ,for the base flanges of the rails, an a member on said'girder which lies under the head of the rails and which permits the rails to deflect vertically. at the ends of the j olnt.

HARRY F. ROACH.

Witnesses 1 Warm L. OHUBoH, Geonon BAKEWELL.

parallel to the flat surface on V In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my Commissioner of Patents, 

